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The Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference took place in order to discuss postwar Europe. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Stalin, and Winston Churchill were all attendees of the conference. There, it was agreed that Germany and Berlin would be divided up into four zones. It was decided that the USSR would declare war on Japan after defeating Germany. Also, free elections would take place in Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. -
The United Nations
Since the League of Nations was not successful, the United Nations became a successor to it. It consisted of a General Assembly and a Security Council. The General Assembly had a debating body. The Security Council had 10 rotating members and five permanent members who had veto power. -
Truman Doctrine
President Harry Truman created the Truman Doctrine which states that the United States would provide assistance, such as political and economic, to any nation that faced the threats of authoritarian forces. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was created by President Truman. It was intended to help postwar Europe by providing economic assistance to them. It was believed that if they failed to help Europe, the United States would be more likely to be influenced by communism. -
Berlin Blockade
The Soviets tried to block the U.S., France, and Great Britain from traveling to Berlin. This prevented people from Berlin to receive any resources, such as food, from the United States and other countries. This was done so that Berlin would gradually accept the communism of the Soviets. -
Development of the Atomic Bomb by the Soviets
The Soviets created an atomic bomb, and when President Truman was informed, he responded by increasing military spending and quickly begin developing more nuclear weapons. -
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
The United States, Canada, and ten other Western Nation were part this treaty. This treaty organization was known as a defensive pact as it noted that the United States’s Nuclear shield would protect Western Europe. -
The Invasion of South Korea
After being informed of North Korea invading South Korea, President Truman immediately ordered for troops to aid South Korea. North Korea was then named the aggressor by the U.N., which consisted of 88% of American troops. -
McArthur is Fired
Douglas McArthur was the General of the Army. President Truman decided to fire McArthur after making comments that contradicted what administration policies say. His plan was to expand the war against China. -
Ike’s Atoms for Speech
In this speech, Eisenhower tires to utilize the appeal of pathos in his speech in order to calm the people that were experiencing fear with the thought of nuclear weapons. He assures them that these nuclear weapons would only be used in peaceful ways. -
Sputnik Launch
Sputnik becomes the first artificial satellite to be launched. The launch of this satellite intensified the Cold War as both the United States and the Soviet Union were developing new technology. -
Fidel Castro and Cuba
After Fidel Castro took over Cuba, Cuba becomes communist. Castro was determined to stay away from a capitalist system. Castro made several political and economic changes to Cuba. Fidel Castro later became an important figure in the Cuban Revolution. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Cuban exiles were supposed to invade Cuba from the sea in the Bay of Pigs, which would help in overthrowing Fidel Castro. However, this plan was unsuccessful and it only becomes an embarrassment for President Kennedy. -
The Wall of Berlin
The Berlin Wall was built by the Communist government. The East and West of Berlin were separated by this wall. East Berlin thought of this wall as a way to keep capitalism out. -
Assassination of President Kennedy
While a Presidential motorcade, President Kennedy was assassinated. The assassination took place in Dallas, Texas in the Dealey Plaza. This left Lyndon B. Johnson as President of the United States. -
China Developed an Atomic Bomb
China developed its first atomic bomb. With the help of the Soviets and a western resources, China was able to complete the development of this bomb. After this, China became the fifth country with nuclear weapons. -
American Troops in the Dominican Republic
President Johnson decides to send American troops to the Dominican Republic. This was done to fight communism. 22,000 troops were sent to fight, but the only result from this action were protests in Latin America. -
Nixon visits China
President Nixon took the step to visit China in order to talk and develop a better relationship. This visit allowed for the U.S. and communist China to establish diplomatic relations. -
Nixon Resigns
President Nixon becomes the first American President to resign in American history. This decision was made due to the watergate scandal that had led to impeachment proceedings made against him. His resignation speech was made in the Oval Office of the White House. His Vice President, Gerald Ford, was later sworn in as the new President of the United States. -
North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam
North Vietnam received support from the Soviets and South Vietnam was supported by the United States. When South Vietnam was defeated by North Vietnam, North Vietnam fell to communist forces. -
Ronald Reagan Raises Nuclear Funds
President Reagan announced that $180 billion would be spent on arms. This would last for the next six year. This money would be used to develop warning systems, communications, and long-rage bombers. The President believed that this was necessary in order to continue modernizing their nuclear system. -
U.S. Marines Invade Grenada
The Unites States Marines along with Caribbean nations invaded Grenada. Grenada is located 100 miles North away from Venezuela. The results of this invasion was a victory for the Allies. President Reagan believed that Grenada was a threat to the United States due to its communist regime. -
Ronald Reagan Visits China
President Reagan visits China and becomes the third American President to do so. In this visit, the United States and China was able to improve diplomacy. They also discussed their economic relationship and how they could expand it. China’s nuclear power was also part of the discussion. -
Arms Reduction
Mikhail Gorbachev, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and President Reagan discussed the possibility of arms reduction. They agreed to open negotiations on that matter. Gorbachev agreed to do this because he wanted the Soviet Union to stop spending a vast amount of money on these weapons. -
Soviet Troops Withdraw From Afghanistan
Mikhail Gorbachev realized that having troops in Afghanistan was only affecting Afghanistan in a negative way. They were facing many economic troubles due to the Afghan war, which left Gorbachev wanting to end the war. This led him to sign a peace treaty. -
End of the Cold War
The United States and the Soviet Union finally announced the end of the Cold War. This led the Berlin Wall being taken down and opened borders. All of this allowed the economy to grow again and for more democracies to be established.
